Federal prosecutors have convened a grand jury to review Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas’ locker room confrontation involving handguns, The Examiner has learned. The federal grand jury will weigh evidence of potential firearms violations that could lead to felony indictments, according to a source with knowledge of the case.
Arenas has admitted publicly that he kept at least three guns in his locker at the Verizon Center. He claimed that he did so to keep them away from his baby daughter. On Dec. 21, Arenas brandished at least one of the guns, according to news reports. He had been arguing with teammate Javaris Crittenton over gambling debts, sources have said.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Arenas’ firearms were properly licensed under District law. So far, authorities have not been able to confirm that the guns were licensed in any jurisdiction, said law enforcement sources. The penalty for possessing unlicensed firearms is up to five years in prison for each offense. Arenas, 27, has declined to discuss the incident in detail but admitted to using “bad judgment.” “I’m a goofball, that’s what I am,” he said.
“Even with something like this, I’m going to make fun of it. Anything I do is funny — well, it’s funny to me.” In 2003, Arenas was arrested in California after a traffic stop. Police said they found a .40-caliber handgun hidden beneath a bag in his vehicle. Arenas was a free agent at the time and had a gun license in Arizona, where he went to college, but not California.
He later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor gun charges. The Wizards were in hot pursuit of Arenas at the time and dismissed concerns about his gun arrest. The prior conviction could make it tougher on Arenas, as prosecutors do not take lightly repeat offenders, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.
Arenas and his legal team were scheduled to huddle with prosecutors Monday afternoon, after Wizards practice. Team owners have issued a statement saying that they were appalled by the incident; the NBA is investigating, too, and could suspend Arenas.
The Wizards used to call themselves the Bullets, but changed the team name because of the runaway violence in their hometown.
